Lecture 3, Lesson 3

‘Knowing the connection of the world, (carelessness is not for his benefit^[1]).’ ‘Look at the exterior (world from analogy with thy own) self; [then] thou wilt neither kill nor destroy (living beings);’ viz. out of reciprocal regard [well examining] he does no sinful act. What is the characteristic of a sage? ‘Recognising the equality (of all living beings), he appeases himself.’ (1)

Knowing the highest good, one should never be careless;
Guarding one’s self, always prudent, one should pass life on the right road.

‘One should acquire disregard of sensual enjoyment, being with a great one (i.e. a god) or the small ones (men).’ When one knows whence men come and where they go, and when both ends are out of sight^[2], one is not cut, nor slit, nor burnt, nor struck^[3] (2) by any one in the whole world^[4].

Some do not remember what preceded the present: ‘what has been his past? what will be his future?’ Some men here say: ‘what has been his past, that will be his future^[5].’

There is no past thing, nor is there a future one;
So opine the Tathāgatas.

He whose karman has ceased and conduct is right, who recognises the truth (stated above) and destroys sinfulness (thinks):

What is discontent and what is pleasure? not subject to either, one should live;

Giving up all gaiety, circumspect and restrained, one should lead a religious life. (3)

Man! Thou art thy own friend; why wishest thou for a friend beyond thyself? Whom he knows as a dweller on high^[6], him he should know as a dweller far (from sin) and whom he knows as a dweller far (from sin), him he should know as a dweller on high. Man! restraining thyself (from the outward world) ‘thou wilt get free from pain.’ Man, understand well the truth! exerting himself in the rule of truth a wise man overcomes Māra. (4)

‘The gifted man^[7], following the law, sees well his true interest.’ In a twofold way^[7], touched by calamity, are not confounded. ‘Mind this! the worthy one, in this world, gets out of the creation^[9].’ Thus I say. (5)

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This is a very difficult passage. Connection (sandhi) is explained in different ways, as karmavivara, samyagjñānāvāpti, and the state of the soul, which has only temporarily and not thoroughly come to rest. To complete the sentence the commentators add pramādo na śreyase. As the words of the text form the pāda of a śloka, it is probable that something like pamāo neva sejjase p. 32 concluded the hemistich. The meaning is, 'Make good use of any opening to get out of worldly troubles.'

[2]:

See 1, lesson 4.

[3]:

The reading of the Nāgārjunīyas, according to the commentary, was, 'Knowing well and essentially the five (perceptions) in the object and the three degrees (i.e. good, middle, bad), in the twofold (i.e. what is to be avoided and to be adopted), one is not marred by either (love and hate).' These words form a śloka.

[4]:

The commentary connects these words with the preceding sentence, saying that the accusative stands for the instrumental, by any one.

[5]:

The words of the original read like a triṣṭubh in disorder; the same is the case with a different reading quoted by the commentator.

[6]:

There is apparently a pun in the text: uccālaiyaṃ is explained by uccālayitāram = remover (of sins), but as contrasted with dūrālaiya it has the meaning we have adopted above.

[7]:

With knowledge, &c.

[8]:

For the sake of love and hate, or worldly and heavenly bliss.

[9]:

If loyāloya is omitted, the last words form the half of a śloka.